I have three original Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidations into which I want to install DCC decoders. HOWEVER, I cannot for the life of me take the tender apart. It's clear that the coal load is molded onto the top of a "box" that inserts into the tender shell.

The coal load and tender deck are one piece. I converted a couple of the 2-8-0s and USRA light 4-8-2s to oil burners. This required getting the coal load out of the way of the oil tank. Thus, I had to learn how to do it. The coal load/tender deck is very tightly friction fitted into the tender. I had to work it out, then saw off the coal load. It did not matter that I had to take off the aft coal board, is I was not going to use it. For those who want to keep the coal load, the aft coal board will glue back in its place. At least on the older locomotives, the glue joint was not very strong.

Correction:1. Remove rear truck screw (long screw attaches to the top) 2. Remove the aft coal board.3. You will see a slot on the back of the coal load.4. Stick a jeweller's screwdriver into the slot.5. Work out the load and tender deck (still a PITA) but helps if you pry up from the back too at same time you lift with screw driver in coal board slot. 6. Also (and only if no sound, DCC etc tender) you can also push up against the lid using a small driver inserted via the truck screw holes.

(Note: all of the front detail (including the front of the coal bin) remains with the shell. The lid only includes the coal and the reader tender deck, but is ~10mm deep. And it is possible to remove w/o step #2-4, if you can get purchase via bottom of the coal in the front (via the slot under the front of the coal bin) but again, the front wall of the coal bin is not an element of the removable part. )